Combining mouse genomics and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a promising tool to unravel the molecular mechanisms of somatosensation and pain. Recent studies suggest a confounding influence of mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) on the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal for somatosensory stimulation paradigms in mice. MABP alterations induced by transient stimuli can mimic brain activation in small rodents. The abstract provides data, which rely on the monitoring of MABP for mild noxious thermal stimulation in mice. Detailing the role of MABP in mouse fMRI is crucial to ensure the integrity of murine hemodynamic readouts in somatosensation and nociception.

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